Orifice cleaning means



2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 9, 1945 INVENTOR.

WKM

4; ATTORNEY Jan. 3, 1950 w. s. LANDON ORIFICE CLEANING MEANS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 9, 1945 INVENTOR.

BY M KM M ATTORNEY PIC-1.3

F 85 so as aa FIG.6

Patented Jan. 3, 1950 UNITED STATES TEPAT ENT OFFICE 2,493,297 ORIFICE GLEA-NINGMEAN S Walter S. LandonQDetro'it, Mich., assignor to .Detroit Lubricator Company, Detroit, Mich., a

corporation of Michigan I Application July 9, 1945;.Serial N 0. 603,945

in the oil. However, such a small flow rate provides an ample pilot flame, but it can not be maintained unless the orifice is kept clean and foreign matter is cleared away from the orifice.

It is accordingly one object of this invention to provide means for cleaning the pilot orifice.

Another object is to provide means to wash away orifice obstructing matter by utilizing liquid fuel under higher pressure than the normal head pressure on the orifice.

The invention consists in tion and combination of parts to be more fully described hereinafter, and the novelty of which will be particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, to be takenas a part of this specification, there are. fully and clearly illustrated various preferred embodiments of the invention, in which drawings,

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic viewof a liquid. fuel burning system having the fuel flow controlling device shown in vertical section,

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail view taken on the line 22 ofFig. l and showing the pilot fire metering orifice,

Fig. 3 is a view partly in vertical section show Fig. 5 is a detail view in section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4, and

Fig. 6 is a view partly in vertical section showing still another form of fuel outlet controlling means.

Referring to the drawings by characters of reference, and first to Figures .1 and 2, the nu- .meral l designates a liquid level chamber or cas- 6 is controlled bya shut off valve 1 in the pipe 5.

Aswan of the casing I.

Screw threaded into the connection 3 there is a -valve casing 8 having an inlet port 9 communicating with the passageway 4 and opening. intda valve chamber Ill. In the chamber lfl'thereiis 5 a valve member which is longitudinally. reciprocal to open and close the'port 9. The valve .member, I I has a stem I2 which extends upward .through and has a sliding fitiin agui'de member .4 3 on the casing 8, the stemextending into-the .10 lcham'ber I. The valvecasing outlet 14' has a'con- .clu'itcr duct l5 connected thereto. The valve member I l is opened and closed by a hollow metal .fioat I5 of annular form and having a lever arm ll with its free endpo'sitioneod between the 15 flanges of a collar 18, fixed on the upper end of Ithe'stem l2. 1 The lever I1 is pivotally supported on a shaft 19 extending between and carried by lithe-walls of the casing I. fionc'ent'ric with the T float I6 and extending upward into'the' chamber 20 l. fromfthe bottom'wall'2 there is-a tubular, outlet the novel construc-" member 20 having a vertical passageway 2| l therethrough and opening into an outlet connectition 22. Slidably fitting in the tubular member Q20. there is a tubular or cylindrical valve member ,28'13' having a metering slot'24 cooperablewith-a surrounding cut-off shoulder formed by-an en- "largement of the passageway "2|. This enlarge- .meht also forms at the upper end of the passageway 2| a valve seat 26 below the liquid level in the chamber I. The valve member 23 also hasa fuel "-i'flow restricting orifice2'l Opposite the slot 24- and not V or triangular shape, see Fig. 2 The orifice L521 which provides fuel fiowfor pilot fire tothe outlet connection 22 is registerable with anapertime 28 through the side wall of the conduit memfb'er"2fl. The aperture28 receives the free endof the tube or conduit [5 which has a port29 below the'liquid level in the chamber landad'jacent the tubular member 2% such that the port-29, aperture 28 and the portion of the conduit 15 f therebetween provide an'outlet conduit-from the chamber I tothe orifice2l. "Ihe fioat l6 carries f an armature 30 cooperablewith-a-permanent mag- 'iie't3l carried by a'braclz'et 32 secured to the side The magnet acts :on' the ffarmature 30 tending to movethe valvemember l I to its seat to close the port' 9 and when the liquid level in the chamber'l rises to the line L the magnet 3| will lift the float slightlyand ,5o.tightly close'the valve member ll. The-magnet overcomes the force of the magnet 3 I. This lower liquid level may be such as indicated by the line L1 and when the float I6 drops to its normal floating depth at this new level L1, the valve member II will be lifted to wide open position. In its wide open position the valve member II will be positioned for fuel flow through the inlet 5 at a rate in excess of the combined flow rates through the port 29 and the orifice 27. Therefore when the valve member I I is opened the fuel oil under the high head pressure from the elevated tank 6 will rush through the conduit I5 for discharge under pressure through the orifice 21 into the outlet passageway 2! and through the port 29 into the chamber I. This rush of oil through the orifice 2! will clean the orifice of any accumulated wax or other orifice obstructing material. Due

to the high rate of inflow of oil into the chamber I through the port 29, the liquid level will be quickly raised to the line L, whereupon the valve member II will be closed by the action of the float I6 and magnet 3I. After this short interval of orifice cleaning, the predetermined minimum flow for pilot fire operation will continue from the chamber I through outlet conduit 29, I5 and 28 to and through the metering orifice 2T.

Cooperable with the seat 26 to close the inlet port to the slot 24 there is a sleeve valve 33 which slidably fits the valve member 23, extending upward therewith through the central aperture in the float I6. The sleeve valve 33 is connected to the Valve member 23 by a lost-motion pin and slot engagement 34 such that the sleeve valve 33 is held to its seat 26 by the lost-motion spring 35 until the orifice 21 is moved upward out of registry with the aperture 23. The spring 35 abuts a flange 36 on the valve member 23 and when the lost-motion connection 34 is taken up then the spring 31 which is under compression between the outlet member 20 and the sleeve valve 33, will move the sleeve valve and the valve member 23 upward. Upward movement of the sleeve valve 33 will open the port in the upper end of the outlet member 2|] for flow from the chamber I to and through the metering slot 24 to the outlet connection 22. The size of the orifice 2'1 is determined by the screw stop member 38 cooperable with the flange 36 to limit downward movement of the tubular valve member 23. A guide member 39 cooperates with an aperture through the flange 36 to hold the orifice 21 in vertical alinement with the aperture 28 and prevents rotation of the valve member 23. The maximum opening movement or upward movement of the tubular valve member 23 for high fire flow through slot 24 is determined by a high fire stop screw 40 engageable with the top face of the flange 36.

The outlet valve member 23 may be manually controlled but is here shown as movable by a thermostatic power element 4| having a bulb element 42 responsive to the temperature of a medium to be heated such as liquid contained in the heating space 43 of a heating apparatus 44 having a burner pct 45. The outlet connection 22 receives a fuel pipe 46 which leads to the pot which is preferably of the vaporizing type having air inlet apertures 41 supplied with combustion supporting air from an air suply duct 48.

The operation of this system is as follows: With the metering slot 24 and sleeve valve 33 closed as shown due to the bulb element 42 having been heated to the desired temperature, the float I6 and magnet 3I will act to alternately and intermittently move the inlet valve member II to full closed and wide open positions. Each time that the liquid level drops to the line L1, the valve member II will be quickly moved to wide open position to admit fuel under pressure to the conduit I5 to flush and clean the orifice 21 so that the desired extremely low rate of fuel flow for a minimum pilot flame will be maintained during the intervals when the valve member I I is closed. It will be apparent that the time interval between successive discharges of fuel under pressure from the tank 6 through the orifice 21 will be determined by the size of the orifice 21, the viscosity of the oil, the head pressure of the oil in the chamber I on the orifice 21 and the volume of the oil between the levels L and L1. The length of the flushing interval is determined by the rate of fiow from tank 6 through port 29 into the chamber I which will raise the level from L1 to L. When a high burner flame is desired, as results when the temperature of the bulb element 42 decreases to the desired low limit, the lostmotion spring 35 will move the valve member 23 upward thereby closing the pilot orifice 21 while holding the sleeve valve to its seat 26. When the lost-motion connection 34 is taken up by the spring 35 then the spring 31 will lift the sleeve valve 33 and since the slot 24 is open for fuel flow, fuel will flow from the chamber I across the shoulder 25 and through the slot 24 to the burner pot 45. The spring 31 will continue the opening movement of the slot 24 until the flange 36 engages the high fire stop screw 45. Fuel will now be led to the chamber I from the tank 6 through the port 29 as above described but with more rapid alternations of the opening and closing of the valve member II due to the greater rate of outflow through the slot 24.

Referring to Fig. 3, the parts are as above described except for the outlet controlling valve member. In this form the valve member 50 is of one piece construction having a pilot orifice 5| of fixed size and having the shut-off valve portion 52, corresponding to the sleeve valve 33, rigid with the portion of the valve member which contains the metering slot 24. The orifice 5| is moved into registry with the outlet member side wall aperture 28 when the slot 24 is closed by the cut-off shoulder 25. The valve portion 52 closes off flow to the shoulder 25 when the orifice 5I is in registry with the aperture 28. The operation of the construction of this Fig. 3 will be apparent from the above description of operation of Fig. 1.

Referring to Figs. 4 and 5, the elevated liquid fuel supply tank containing fuel oil is connected by an outlet pipe 6I to the inlet connection 62 of liquid fuel chamber or casing 63. A shut-01f valve 64 is preferably provided in the pipe 6 I. Screw threaded into the connection 62 within the chamber 63 there is a valve casing 65 having an inlet port 66 leading to a valve chamber 61 having an outlet port 68. The inlet port 66 is controlled by a valve member 69 longitudinally reciprocal in the chamber 61 and operable to open and close the port 66. The valve member 69 has a stem III which extends upward into the chamber 63 through a guide member II on the casing 65. The valve member 69 is moved to open and closed positions by a float I2 responsive to liquid level in the chamber 63. The float I2 has a lever arm 73 which extends at its free end between a collar I4 secured on the upper end of the stem Ill. The lever arm I3 is journaled on a shaft I5 secured to the wall of the casing 63. The float I2 carries an armature I6 cooperable with a magnet 11 carried by a bracket I8 procal valve portion ill.

member 79 there is a cylindrical sleeve [t2 which escape? jecting inward from the side wall casing 63. The magnet'il and its armature iii cooperate with the float l2 as above described in connection with Fig. 1 to close the valve member 89 when the liquid level reaches the line L and to open the valve port 65 when the liquid level drops to the line L1. ihe fioat i2 is of annular form and extending upward through its central aperture there is an outlet controlling valve member id of tubular or cylindrical form. The valve member it has adjacent its lower end portion 85) which is of reduced external diameter, a conical cut-off or valve portion all. The lower portion as reciprocally fits the outlet passage 32 of a tubular outlet number The member 33 extends upwa into the chamber 63 terminating below the lower liquid level L1 and has its upper passageway portion of enlarged diameter as at G l to provide an annular ficrv space around the valve member portion At its lower end the space provides a cut-off shoulder 85 cooperable with a longitudinal slot 8% in the lower valve portion his. end of the tubular member 83 around the enlarged portion provides a valve seat for engagement by the conical valve portion Si. enlarged portion 83 also provides an outlet uit leading to the metering orifice or slot 35 a. with its upper inlet end portion providing a rt for flow from the space into the chamber Through the side wall of the tubular mem- 83 there is an aperture 8?, see Fig. 5, opening into the outlet conduit 53 2 between its inl t port the metering orifice. Directly connecting he outlet port oi the valve casing and the aperture ill there is a tube or conduit for conveying liquid fuel under pressure from the tank to the metering slot 8 5 and to the chair.- ber The side wall aperture ii'l enters the space tangent y is circumferentially spaced from h orifice so that the liquid fuel the out et conduit 8 from the conduit be dis harged directly through the outlet orifice and will sweep around the valve portion 35 to clear the orifice of foreign matter. The valve member is held against rotation by a cross pin 39 vertically reciprocal in a slot or member extending downward into the casing from its cover member 9!. The valve member is moved to position by a spring 2'32 which holds th valve member against an adjustment v Q3 carried by the cover member ill. Ad-

nt of the screw 83 will control the size of e through the slot 85 above the shoulder outlet passage 32 opens into an outlet connection 95 which is connected by a pipe to the burner pot as of a vaporizing type of fuel burner such as described in conneccperation of this control device and sysein of Fig. 4 it is believed will be apparent from egoing description of Fig. 1. However, it noted, that the space 8 5 provides suiiicient restriction to fiow into the chamber 63 when the valve member 69 is in wide open position so that inrush of fuel through the conduit will be in discharged through the slot wh is in minimum open position for pilot fire operation of the burner.

Referring to Figure 6. the outlet control valve is substantially the same as that shown in Fig. 4. In this form of 6 the tubular outlet member has a valve seat surrounding and concentrio with the valve seat it! engaged by the coni- Surrounding the valve seats on the valve seatlilfl and which has a. lostmotion connection with the valve member 19 as at 183. In the loweredgeof the sleeve m2 there port Hi l which restricts flow from the coninto the liquid fuel chamber. he effective flow area of the metering slot 86 n the sleeve is seated and of the port lll l is ess than the effective flow area of the valve lberwhen in wide openpo-sition so that We liquid fuel in. the outlet conduit or flow space is under a higher pressure than the pressure the orifice 55 due to the head of oil in the liquid fuel chamber avhen the valve member E9 is closed. It may be noted that the slotBE; is moved to closed position before the valve portion engages its seat llll. Also the eiTective ow area of the inlet port around the valve porc al to the conduit 86 when the slot 535 is just is greater than the effective flow area of The size of the port ld l will dehe e head pressur on the orifice til when valve m mber is in wide open position and also determine the quantity of excess fuel The operation of this outlet valve so be apparent from the foregoing Wha Letters Patent ofthe United States is:

l. feeding means comprising a casing havin a liquid fuel chamber and having an outlet, for conducting fuel from said chamber to said outlet and having a submerged outlet oriflee controlling the discharge of fuel under the chamber head pressure to said outlet, and means to discharge fuel through said orifice to said outlet under a higher head pressure than the charm ber head pressure on said orifice thereby to wash orifice obstructing matter through said orifice.

2. Fuel feeding means comprising a casing ha ing a liquid fuel chamber and having an outlet, means for conducting fuel from said chamber to said outlet and having a submerged outlet orifice controlling the discharge of fuel under the chamber head pressure to said outlet, a conduit to discharge fuel through said orifice to said outlet under a higher head pressure than the chamber head pressure on said orifice thereby to wash orifice obstructing matter through said orifice, and means to intermittently permit and shut off flow of fuel thru said conduit.

3. Fuel feeding means comprising a casing having a liquid fuel chamber, a liquid fuel supply conduit having an inlet external of said chamber and having a port and an orifice for simultaneous discharge f om said conduit, said port discharging into said chamber, said orifice discharging external of said chamber, and a valve in said conduit controlling flow from said inlet simultaneously to and through both said port and said orifice.

l. Fuel feeding means comprising a casing having a liquid fuel chamber, a liquid fuel supply conduit having an inlet external of said chamber and having a port and an orifice for simultaneous discharge from said conduit, said port discharging into said chamber, said orifice discharging external of said chamber, a valve in said conduit controlling flow from said inlet simultaneously to and through both said port and said orifice, and means intermittently acting to open and close said valve.

5. Fuel feeding means comprising a casing having a liquid fuel chamber, a liquid fuel supply conduit having an inlet external of said chamber and having a port and an orifice for simultaneous discharge from said conduit, said port discharging into said chamber, said orifice discharging external of said chamber, a valve in said conduit controlling flow from said inlet simultaneously to and through both said port and said orifice, and means in said chamber and controlling said valve and including a float and a magnet cooperable with said float, said means intermittently acting to open and close said valve upon change of chamber liquid level.

6. Fuel feeding means comprising a casing having a liquid fuel chamber, a liquid fuel supply conduit having an inlet external of said chamber and having a port and an orifice for simultaneous discharge from said conduit, said port discharging into said chamber, said orifice discharging external of said chamber, a valve in said conduit controlling flow from said inlet simultaneously to and through both said port and said orifice, and means to close said orifice irrespective of the position of said valve.

7. Fuel feeding means for supplying fuel to a liquid fuel burner, comprising a casing having a liquid fuel chamber and having an outlet conduit with an inlet port below the chamber liquid level, said conduit having a metering orifice for pilot flame burner operation and supplied by said port, a fuel supply conduit connected into said outlet conduit between said port and said orifice, a valve controlling admission of fuel to said supply conduit, and means to open said valve to a position for a greater rate of flow to said supply conduit than the combined rates of flow from said supply conduit through said inlet port and through said orifice so that fuel under pressure will be discharged through said orifice to wash away orifice obstructing matter.

8. Fuel feeding means for supplying fuel to a liquid fuel burner, comprising a casing having a liquid fuel chamber and having an outlet conduit with an inlet port below the chamber liquid level, flow restricting means in said conduit determining the flow for pilot flame burner operation, a valve casing having an inlet and an outlet, a valve member controlling flow through said casing, means including means responsive to liquid level in said chamber and operable alternately to open and close said valve member, and a supply conduit leading from said valve casing outlet and connected into said outlet conduit between said inlet port and said restricting means, said port restricting flow from said supply conduit to said chamber thereby to increase the flow through said restricting means when said valve member is open.

9. Fuel feeding means comprising a casing having a liquid fuel chamber and having an outlet orifice, valve means controlling admission of liquid fuel to said chamber, means operable by change of liquid level in said chamber and controlling said valve means, magnetic means determining the extent of change of liquid level for operation of said valve means by said liquid level means, and conduit means leading directly to said orifice from said valve means to discharge fuel through said orifice thereby to wash orifice obstructing matter away from said orifice.

10. Fuel feeding means comprising a casing having a liquid fuel chamber and having an outlet conduit with an outlet orifice, valve means controlling admission of liquid fuel to said chamber, metering means connecting said chamber to said outlet conduit in by-passing relation to said orifice, and conduit means leading directly to said orifice from said valve means thereby to wash orifice obstructing matter away from said orifice.

11. Liquid fuel feeding means comprising a casing having a liquid fuel chamber, a tubular outlet member extending upward in said chamber, a metering member reciprocal in said outlet member and having a metering orifice, said outlet member having a side wall opening for flow to said orifice, valve means having an inlet for liquid fuel and an outlet, and a conduit connecting said valve means outlet to said side wall opening so that upon opening of said valve means liquid fuel will be supplied to said orifice to wash away orifice obstructing matter.

12. Liquid fuel feeding means for supplying fuel to a liquid fuel burner, comprising a casing having a liquid fuel chamber and having an outlet, means providing a metering orifice below the liquid l vel in said chamber and discharging into said outlet, a valve casing having an inlet and an outlet and carried by said chamber, a conduit connecting said valve casing outlet to the inlet side of said orifice, said conduit having a port for alternate flow from said valve casing to said chamber and from said chamber to said orifice, a valve member cooperable with said inlet, a float in said chamber and cooperable with said valve member to close said valve member upon predetermined liquid level in said chamber, a member having magnetic properties movable with said float, magnetic means cooperable with said magnetic member and acting to hold said valve member closed until the liquid level drops sulficiently so that the float weight overcomes the force of said magnetic means.

13. Liquid fuel feeding means comprising a casing having a liquid fuel chamber, a tubular outlet member extending upward in said chamber and having an inlet below the chamber liquid level, a valve member longitudinally reciprocal in said outlet member and having a metering slot controlled by said outlet member, said valve member having a metering orifice within said outlet member, said outlet member having a side wall opening registering with said orifice when said slot is closed, valve means controlling admission of fuel under pressure to said chamber, a conduit having a port below the liquid level in said chamber, said conduit connecting the outlet of said valve means to said side wall opening, and means to open said valve means for a flow rate in excess of the flow rates of said port and said orifice.

14. Liquid fuel feeding means comprising a casing having a liquid fuel chamber, a tubular outlet member extending upward in said chamber and having an inlet below the chamber liquid level, a valve member longitudinally reciprocal in said outlet member and having a metering slot controlled by said outlet member, said valve member having a metering orifice within said outlet member, said outlet member having a side wall opening registering with said orifice when said slot is closed, valve means controlling admission of fuel under pressure to said chamber, a conduit having a port below the liquid level in said chamber, said conduit connecting the outlet of said valve means to said side wall opening, a float in said chamber and operatively connected to said valve means, and means cooperable with said fioat to cause intermittent opening of said valve means to a position for a flow rate in ex- 7.3 cess of the flow rates of said port and said orifice.

15. Liquid fuel feeding means comprising a casing having a liquid fuel chamber, a tubular outlet member extending upward in said chamber and having an inlet below the chamber liquid level, a valve member longitudinally reciprocal in said outlet member and having a metering slot controlled by said outlet member, said valve member having a metering orifice within said outlet member, said oulet member having a side wall opening registering with said orifice when said slot is closed, a sleeve valve slidable on said tubular valve member and operable to close said inlet, lost motion spring means interconnecting said sleeve valve and said tubular valve member and holding said sleeve valve in inlet closing position until movement of said tubular valve member closes said orifice, valve means controlling admission of fuel under pressure to said chamber, a conduit having a port below the liquid level in'said chamber, said conduit connecting the outlet of said valve means to said side wall opening, and means to open said valve means for a flow rate in excess of the flow rates of said port and said orifice.

16. Fuel feeding means comprising a casing having a liquid fuel chamber and having a tubular outlet member having its inlet portion of enlarged diameter to provide an annular flow space and a cut-off shoulder, a valve member slidably fitting said outlet member below said shoulder and having a metering slot cooperate with said shoulder to regulate outlet flow from said chamber, the side wall of said outlet member having an aperture therethrough opening into said flow space on the inlet side of said shoulder, a valve casing having an inlet through the bottom wall of said chamber and having an outlet within said chamber, a tube connecting said outlet to said side wall aperture, a valve member in said casing and operable to shut said inlet and having a stem entering said chamber, a float in said chamber and connected to said stem, a member having magnetic properties movable with said float, and magnetic means cooperable with said magnetic member to close said second-named valve member upon occurrence of predetermined liquid level in said chamber and to hold said second-named valve member closed until there is a predetermined decrease of liquid level.

17. Fuel feeding means comprising a casing having a liquid fuel chamber and having an outlet conduit with concentric valve seats and an enlarged diameter inlet portion providing an annular flow space and a cut-01f shoulder, a cylindrical valve member reciprocally fitting said conduit and having a metering slot cooperable with said shoulder, said valve member having a valve portion engageable with the inner one of said seats after closure of said slot by said shoulder, a sleeve valve carried by said valve member and engageable with the outer one of said seats, said sleeve valve having a port for flow from and to said flow space when on its seat and having a lost-motion connection to said valve member, said conduit having a side wall aperture opening into said flow space, and a conduit for conveying liquid fuel under pressure from the exterior of said chamber directly to said aperture, said lastnamed conduit and said aperture having a capacity for flow to said space greater than the combined capacity of said port and said slot when said sleeve valve is seated.

WALTER S. LAND'ON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 930,334 Augustus Aug. 10, 1909 2,261,234 De Lancey Nov. 4, 1941 2,329,292 Perry Sept. 14, 1943 2,364,591 Stoughton et a1 Dec. 5, 1944 

